New Delhi: The Delhi Legislative Assembly passed resolution against the three new farm laws in a Special Session held today. During the tabling of the resolution, Chief Minister Shri Arvind Kejriwal said that he cannot betray the farmers and the soldiers of the country, and tore up copies of the Centre’s three new farm laws in the Delhi legislative assembly.
He said that more than 20 farmers have lost their lives since the sit-in protests have started on the Delhi borders, and asked the Centre how many lives it will take before repealing the laws. He said that the BJP is spending scores of money on the elections for the last 6-7 years and that these laws are not made for the farmers but for the electoral funding of the BJP.
He said, “Every BJP leader, when asked about the benefits of these farm laws, says just one thing - a farmer can sell his produce anywhere in the country, this is highly misleading. The attorneys of the Centre said the Delhi govt’s attorneys are acting as farmers’ attorneys. I want to tell the Central government that they should also be the lawyers of the farmers and not of the middlemen.” He appealed to the Centre to not become worse than Britishers who took 9 months to repeal their laws due to the farmers’ movement in 1907.
Tearing the three farm acts in the Assembly Session, CM Shri Arvind Kejriwal said, “I support the resolution tabled in the assembly today. I am in pain while I tear these three farm laws, as I did not intend to do this. But today, when a farmer of the country is sleeping on the road in 2°C temperature, I cannot betray the jawans and kisaans of my country. I am a citizen of this country first, a chief minister later. This assembly rejects the three laws and appeals to the central government to meet the demands of farmers.”
Addressing the Delhi Vidhan Sabha, CM Shri Arvind Kejriwal said, “I honor the martyrdom of Baba Ram Singh Ji. Even in such selfish times, there are people who are so troubled by the state of affairs, that they can do this supreme sacrifice for the people, for the society, and their country. The letter that they wrote depicted their plight and anguish, he wrote that he was not able to bear the pain of the farmers. He came to the Singhu border daily and brought jackets and quilts for the farmers. When he could not bear the plight of the farmers anymore, he decided to sacrifice his life. More than 20 farmers have lost their lives until now. It has been 20 days since this movement has started, which means one farmer is losing his life every day. I want to ask the Central government, how many lives will you take before you listen to the plight of the farmers?”
CM Shri Arvind Kejriwal said that a similar movement, ‘Pagdi Sambhal Jatta’ happened in Punjab in 1907 during the British era. The movement was also against three laws of the British, Bari Doab Act, Punjab Land Colonisation Act, and Punjab Land Alienation Act. “The movement against the Britishers, which saw a massive crowd, was led by the farmers for 9 whole months. So, the Central government should not be mistaken about the farmers who are protesting against the three farm laws, will leave so soon. The movement was led by Bhagat Singh’s father Kishori Singh and uncle Ajeet Singh. Together, they created Bharat Mata Nirman society under which the movement to repeal the three laws was held. The British government had suggested some amendments in the laws and they reiterated that they will make some changes in the laws in several rounds of discussions that were held. But the farmers were adamant about revoking and repealing the three laws. In the end, the Britishers had to repeal the three laws,” said the CM.
CM Shri Arvind Kejriwal said, “Did Bhagat Singh have to sacrifice his life thinking that the farmers will again have to give rise to movements against their own governments and people will have to lose their lives in an independent India? Many farmers are giving supreme sacrifice on the Singhu border today, every farmer who is sitting there is no less than Bhagat Singh. The Central government says that the farmers are not able to understand the benefits of the laws, and so, they have fielded all their big leaders to explain the benefits of the laws to the farmers. Today, BJP leader and UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, did a rally of 20000 farmers in Bareilly today. I was listening to him when he was asked to explain the advantages of these farm laws. He said, ‘Your land will not be taken away. Your mandis will not be shut down.’ Can these be termed as advantages? The land and mandi were already there. Every BJP leader, when asked about the benefits of these farm laws, says just one thing - a farmer can sell his produce anywhere in the country. But where?”
CM Shri Arvind Kejriwal said that the MSP of wheat is Rs. 1868, and the same wheat is being sold for Rs. 900-1000 in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. “In which state across the whole country should the farmers from UP and Bihar sell their produce, so that they get the MSP due on wheat?” he asked.
“Even the farmers know they will not be able to sell their produce anywhere, they know where it will go. No state other than Uttar Pradesh will purchase their produce and the rich will earn more money and exploit the farmers. This law is not made for the farmers. They say that the farmers are being distracted, but in reality, the BJP is being distracted instead of the farmers. I heard the entire speech of Yogi Adityanath Ji, and even he doesn’t know the advantages of the laws. The whole speech was just for effect,” he added.
CM Shri Arvind Kejriwal said, “Today, the matter was taken up in the Supreme Court. Our attorneys said before the SC that the demands of the farmers are valid and they should be accepted. The case was that due to the farmers’ sit-in protests on the Delhi border, there is a problem of traffic jams. Our attorneys said that the issue has been created by the Central Government, and all the ruckus will be sorted if the Centre accepts the demands of the farmers. The attorneys presenting the case of the Central Government said that Delhi Govt’s attorney is acting like a farmers’ attorney. I want to tell the Central government that they should also be the lawyers of the farmers and not of the middlemen.”
CM Shri Arvind Kejriwal said that some people had raised issues of passing the ordinances during Corona. “What was the hurry? In the history of 70 years of Indian independence, it is the first time that these laws were passed in the Rajya Sabha without voting despite the House being in a complete ruckus. The Speaker did not convene any voting on the three laws and passed them. What was the calamity behind this act?,” he asked.
CM Shri Arvind Kejriwal said, “Since the last 6-7 years, the BJP has increased the budget of the elections. Scores of money are being spent on the elections. These laws are not made for the farmers, these laws are made to fund the elections of the BJP. The farmers have understood this, and the sooner the people of the country understand it, the better it would be for everyone.”
Tearing the three farm acts in the Assembly Session, CM Shri Arvind Kejriwal said, “I support the resolution tabled in the assembly today. I am in pain while I tear these three farm laws, as I did not intend to do this. But today, when a farmer of the country is sleeping on the road in 2°C temperature, I cannot betray the jawans and kisaans of my country. I am first the citizen of this country, and then the Chief Minister. The Delhi Vidhan Sabha rejects these laws today and appeals to the Central Govt to take these laws back. Don’t be worse than Britishers and respect the independence we have achieved, they took their laws back in 9 months and you should take it back sooner.”
